Let’s talk about airports going green! With climate change on everyone’s mind, more and more airports are stepping up their game to become eco-friendly. You might think airports are all about noise, pollution, and wasting resources, but guess what? Some are really trying to change that image. Did you know that in the US, airports are big air polluters? Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is actually the biggest source of carbon monoxide in all of California!
Airports are like the welcome mat for travelers, right? So it makes sense that they should look good and be kind to the environment. People are worried about how airports affect our planet, which is why smart folks who design airports are coming up with cool ways to make them greener.
These top eco-friendly airports are doing all sorts of neat things to help the environment. Some use wood in their buildings, others have solar panels, and there’s even one with a huge waterfall inside! Let’s check out the top 10:
The World’s 10 Greenest Airports
1. Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore
Changi Airport in Singapore is like a giant greenhouse! It’s super busy but also super green. The gardens are so amazing that people come just to see them, even if they’re not flying anywhere.
Jewel Changi Airport was built to help you chill out after a long flight. It has this massive indoor waterfall called the “Rain Vortex” that’s 40 meters tall! The waterfall collects rainwater from Singapore’s storms and uses it to cool the airport and for other stuff. Plus, there are tons of plants inside that help clean the air.
2. Dubai International Airport, UAE
You might not think of Dubai as a place that cares about recycling, but their airport is actually pretty eco-friendly. They’ve got smart gadgets that save water and clever designs that mean they don’t need to use as much air conditioning or lighting.
Dubai’s airport is also using electric vehicles to help cut down on pollution. And they’re big on recycling too, especially paper and plastic bottles. They’re really trying to send less trash to landfills.
3. Boston Logan International Airport, USA
Back in 2006, part of Boston’s airport became the first in the US to get a special eco-friendly certification. Since then, they’ve been working hard to be even greener.
They have special fixtures that save water and roofs that reflect heat to keep things cool. They’ve even got 20 wind turbines on the roof that make some of the electricity the airport needs.
4. Denver International Airport, United States
Denver’s airport is a rock star when it comes to being green in the US. They’ve got one of the biggest solar power systems of any airport in the world. It makes enough electricity to power 2,500 homes in Denver for a whole year!
Denver’s airport is also big on recycling. You can find recycling bins all over the place. And if you bring a reusable water bottle, you can fill it up at special stations after you go through security.
5. Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Sweden
It’s no surprise that Sweden is leading the way in making airports greener. They’re famous for caring about the environment. Back in 2009, Stockholm’s airport became the first one in Europe to be carbon-neutral. That means they don’t add any extra carbon dioxide to the air.
Arlanda Airport has a cool underground system that helps heat and cool the airport. In summer, they use underground water to keep things cool. In winter, they use it to melt snow and ice on the runway. It’s smart, saves money, and helps the planet!
6. Galapagos Ecological Airport, Galapagos Islands
When this airport opened in 2012, it made headlines as the first “green” airport in Latin America and the Caribbean. It’s super eco-friendly! Most of its power comes from wind turbines and solar panels.
About 80% of the airport is made from recycled materials. They even used old pipes from oil fields and parts from the old airport. They clean seawater to use inside the airport and treat wastewater so they can use it again (but not for drinking, of course).
7. Indira Gandhi International Airport, India
This airport in India is one of the busiest in the world, but it’s also one of the greenest. It’s so eco-friendly that it got a special award called LEED Gold certification.
The whole airport is made from recycled stuff. They use 200 energy-saving screens that use less power. And get this – during the day, the departure lounge is lit up just by sunlight!
8. Zurich Airport, Switzerland
Zurich Airport is using some really cool tech to be more eco-friendly. They use energy from the earth to heat and cool the place, and they collect rainwater to flush toilets. Solar panels help cut down on electricity bills, and they have special stations for natural gas to reduce pollution.
9. San Diego International Airport, USA
San Diego’s airport is doing a great job at being green. It was the first airport in the world to get the highest level of eco-friendly certification called LEED Platinum.
They’ve got solar panels, energy-saving lights on the runways, roofs that don’t absorb heat, water-saving fixtures, and plants that don’t need much water. Even the paint and building materials they use are eco-friendly!
10. Oslo Airport, Norway
Oslo’s airport is a great example of eco-friendly design. When they expanded in 2018, they used green materials like concrete made from volcanic ash, recycled steel, and wood from nearby forests.
Here’s something really cool – they save snow from the runways in winter and use it to cool the building in summer! This smart idea helped them get an “excellent” rating for being environmentally friendly.
Wrapping It Up
People are getting more worried about how flying affects our planet. That’s why the folks who design and run airports are coming up with these cool ideas to make them greener. Air travel uses a lot of energy and creates a lot of greenhouse gases, so these eco-friendly airports are a big step in the right direction. Next time you fly, keep an eye out for these green features – your trip might be more eco-friendly than you think!
